the eager excitement she used to feel on the day of a date with Marc never happened.
Veronica swallowed to dislodge the silence stealing her tongue. Heck, even the blue-eyed stranger in the elevator stirred some life inside her, whereas with Jim, her emotions remained as still as a stationary glass of water.
Bernadette’s gaze pierced Veronica. During moments like this, Veronica almost wished she’d told her friends the damage Gary had done to her back in grad school. Perhaps they’d leave her alone.
“But what?” Bernadette said impatiently.
“Nothing. Jim and I are happy with our situation. We keep things casual.”
Meg’s full lips bowed into a frown. “He should want to come to the party. For you.”
“I’m fine going to a party alone.”
“I know. But…” Meg tipped her head, the blunt edges of her amber hair grazing her shoulder. “…but sometimes I’m not sure you’re trying hard enough with him.”
Meg rarely said anything bad, leaving Veronica unsettled. “What do you mean?”
“You act like you don’t really care if he’s around or not. Maybe he thinks you don’t want him there.”
“That’s not true. What would possess you to say such a thing?”
“Because, at Bernadette’s barbecue last weekend, you barely said hello when he got there after work. Dave finally took him under his wing, got him talking with the guys.”
Veronica glanced at Bernadette. “Did Meg have one too many of your frozen margaritas? That’s not how I remember his arrival.”
Bernadette crinkled her sloped nose. “I’m afraid you did, sweetie. I know you were in a deep conversation with someone, but Jim did look a little put out.”
“Now I feel bad.” Had she done the same to Jim other times? “I didn’t mean to ignore him.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Meg piped in, her usual optimistic tone. “So, why not make it up to him by insisting he come Saturday night? Spruce yourself up with a spicy outfit and sexy shoes. Crank things up a notch and he might, too.” She winked. “This could bring you two closer together.”
Did she want more from her relationship with Jim? Thanks to the self-help book in her purse— Unleashing the Past —and some honest conversations with Ry, Veronica could admit she did desire a closer bond with a man lately.
Hadn’t she responded to Ry’s last remark with flirtatious zeal this morning, pushing aside her first reaction to ignore his rather personal remark? He’d left her flattered, she’d said, and further admitted how his opinion mattered a great deal to her.
“Maybe you’re right, Meg. It couldn’t hurt to try a little harder with Jim.”
What did she have to lose? At least this would put her in the driver’s seat of her life for once, not coasting on autopilot as she’d done for too many years.
Chapter 5
“Okay, babe. See you at seven.” Trent tossed the cell phone on the bed. This conversation with Angie left him swamped with doubt over having invited her to Sophie’s birthday party. Family. Close friends. Was this the message he wanted to send to her about their relationship? Yet a tug toward the familiar made him ask her, and she’d readily accepted.
He went into the bathroom, shedding his boxer-briefs and stepping directly into the running shower.
The steamy liquid soothed the ache of his sore muscles. Since seven this morning, he’d worked with Jay around the farm. At this rate, he could quit the gym. Despite the ache all the way to his bones, his spirits were lifted, the work here giving him a sense of belonging.
When finished, he toweled himself dry, wrapped the cloth around his waist, and tidied the day’s shadow on his cheeks, now slightly tanned from being outdoors.
The cast of characters at Sophie’s birthday party would be a mix of worlds colliding. Besides the locals from Northbridge, his brother had invited a few close friends from RGI and, of course, their parents and uncle.
Trent didn’t want to see his
Veronica swallowed to dislodge the silence stealing her tongue. Heck, even the blue-eyed stranger in the elevator stirred some life inside her, whereas with Jim, her emotions remained as still as a stationary glass of water.
Bernadette’s gaze pierced Veronica. During moments like this, Veronica almost wished she’d told her friends the damage Gary had done to her back in grad school. Perhaps they’d leave her alone.
“But what?” Bernadette said impatiently.
“Nothing. Jim and I are happy with our situation. We keep things casual.”
Meg’s full lips bowed into a frown. “He should want to come to the party. For you.”
“I’m fine going to a party alone.”
“I know. But…” Meg tipped her head, the blunt edges of her amber hair grazing her shoulder. “…but sometimes I’m not sure you’re trying hard enough with him.”
Meg rarely said anything bad, leaving Veronica unsettled. “What do you mean?”
“You act like you don’t really care if he’s around or not. Maybe he thinks you don’t want him there.”
“That’s not true. What would possess you to say such a thing?”
“Because, at Bernadette’s barbecue last weekend, you barely said hello when he got there after work. Dave finally took him under his wing, got him talking with the guys.”
Veronica glanced at Bernadette. “Did Meg have one too many of your frozen margaritas? That’s not how I remember his arrival.”
Bernadette crinkled her sloped nose. “I’m afraid you did, sweetie. I know you were in a deep conversation with someone, but Jim did look a little put out.”
“Now I feel bad.” Had she done the same to Jim other times? “I didn’t mean to ignore him.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Meg piped in, her usual optimistic tone. “So, why not make it up to him by insisting he come Saturday night? Spruce yourself up with a spicy outfit and sexy shoes. Crank things up a notch and he might, too.” She winked. “This could bring you two closer together.”
Did she want more from her relationship with Jim? Thanks to the self-help book in her purse— Unleashing the Past —and some honest conversations with Ry, Veronica could admit she did desire a closer bond with a man lately.
Hadn’t she responded to Ry’s last remark with flirtatious zeal this morning, pushing aside her first reaction to ignore his rather personal remark? He’d left her flattered, she’d said, and further admitted how his opinion mattered a great deal to her.
“Maybe you’re right, Meg. It couldn’t hurt to try a little harder with Jim.”
What did she have to lose? At least this would put her in the driver’s seat of her life for once, not coasting on autopilot as she’d done for too many years.
Chapter 5
“Okay, babe. See you at seven.” Trent tossed the cell phone on the bed. This conversation with Angie left him swamped with doubt over having invited her to Sophie’s birthday party. Family. Close friends. Was this the message he wanted to send to her about their relationship? Yet a tug toward the familiar made him ask her, and she’d readily accepted.
He went into the bathroom, shedding his boxer-briefs and stepping directly into the running shower.
The steamy liquid soothed the ache of his sore muscles. Since seven this morning, he’d worked with Jay around the farm. At this rate, he could quit the gym. Despite the ache all the way to his bones, his spirits were lifted, the work here giving him a sense of belonging.
When finished, he toweled himself dry, wrapped the cloth around his waist, and tidied the day’s shadow on his cheeks, now slightly tanned from being outdoors.
The cast of characters at Sophie’s birthday party would be a mix of worlds colliding. Besides the locals from Northbridge, his brother had invited a few close friends from RGI and, of course, their parents and uncle.
Trent didn’t want to see his
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